0
A total of 128 castrated male pigs (Duroc x (Large White x Landrace)) were used. The animals were distributed in 32 pens and 4 animals per pen and fed the two different experimental treatments. Experimental diets consisted of a control diet with a basal level of vitamin A (750 IU/ kg) and a vitamin A enriched diet (100000 IU/kg). During the experimental period (from 68 to 126 kg) pigs were fed ad libitum until slaughtered. Carcass weight, carcass inner length, hams weight, ham perimeter, ham length, foreleg weight and subcutaneous backfat thickness at level of the last rib were recorded at slaughter. A piece of subcutaneous backfat from over the last rib was removed and separated into outer and inner layers which were independently analysed for fatty acid composition.
No effect of diet vitamin A level on performance, carcass traits and intramuscular fat percentage was observed. The retinol concentration in subcutaneous backfat and retinol palmitate contents in liver were higher (P<0.05) in the pigs fed the enriched vitamin A diet than those fed the control diet. However, retinol concentration in the muscle was not affected by the dietary treatment. Pigs receiving the vitamin A enriched diet showed a higher C16:0 and total amount of SFA in the outer layer and C18:0 and total amount of SFA proportion in the inner layer (P<0.05). Moreover, the enriched vitamin A showed a reduction of C18:1 n-9 and total amount of MUFA proportions in subcutaneous backfat of the inner layer (P<0.05).
It is concluded that the dietary vitamin A concentration do not influence on many fatty acids composition of intramuscular lipids, however, the dietary vitamin A enrichment lead to a higher C16:0 and total SFA concentration in liver lipids.
A Olivares, A Daza, AI Rey and CJ López-Bote. 2008. Meat Science. 81: 295-299.
